Better Late Than Never
by Kihin Ranno
Summary: -COMPLETE- Sirius keeps avoiding Remus, and he wants to know why... But maybe Remus is better off not knowing.


Better Late Than Never  
A Fifteen Minute Ficlet Challenge  
1/1  
by Kihin Ranno  
PG

**October 14, 1981**

Remus Lupin paced back and forth inside the dilapidated shack that he had been frequenting for the past few years. He cast glances outside, watching the golden orange sun begin to dip beneath the horizon and the darkness begin to fall.

Sunsets happens so fast... He had never really been able to enjoy one. After all the only time he ever saw them was on these kind of nights. Nights when he was dreading the time when it wound finish and the full moon would rise. Dreading the pain and agony of all of his bones breaking and reforming into something less than human and much madder than one. Something so terrifying and deadly, he was shunned from society. And sometimes he found himself agreeing with them.

Remus wasn't sure which he hated more. Sunsets or moonrises.

Remus sighed, looking outside at the sun, cursing it for its speed. And then he looked outside the window, a little lower. And he cursed the empty road and empty air and the fact that he was the only one around for miles. Then he just cursed for the sake of cursing.

He tended to be a bit more violent on this day.

But the reason for his frustration was not just because of the fact that it was that time of the month. No, there was a far more potent reason than that, at least in Remus's opinion. His best friend, the only one who managed to make time for today anymore was late.

Sirius Black was late.

Now, this wasn't exactly a new phenomena. In school, Sirius... Padfoot, had been late to almost every class on any given day. Of course, this had usually been because he was only narrowly escaping the clutches of Crabbe and Goyle, planting a new Slytherin trap, or getting in some Quidditch practice, but this of course was entirely secondary. Sirius had not needed school. He hadn't even liked the learning part of it that much. it all came too easily for him. He'd never had much of a thirst for knowledge.

That was Remus' job.

But the point was Sirius was never late when it mattered... And this mattered. To Sirius and to Remus. It was the only time they really got to see each other anymore. What with the war and Sirius's work as an Auror, and Remus' not so scrupulous work for the Order of the Phoenix... Well, they just didn't have much time anymore. So they used these full moons as a chance to catch up. Sirius would arrive hours ahead of schedule and they'd talk about things. Peter and James couldn't come anymore. Peter never really gave clear reasons other than Ministry work and James was busy with Lily and Harry. But Sirius had always made time for him if he had to kill other people to do it. Always.

But now he was late.

Remus sighed. The sun was quickly disappearing. No sign of Sirius...

A few minutes and one howl later, Remus had figured that Sirius was not coming.

**October 20, 1981**

Remus checked his watch, irritably tapping his foot on the hardwood floor beneath him. He took another long swig of Ogden's Fire Whiskey, his drink of choice in days like these. He sighed and checked his watch again. He looked over at the door that didn't open.

Sirius Black was late. Again.

Remus cradled his chin in his hands and leaned heavily on the table. Ever since Sirius had missed the last appointment for the full moon, Remus had been trying to reach Sirius... And had been rather unsuccessful. But a few days ago, he'd finally managed to run into Sirius on the street... Sirius had been busy, but they'd made plans to meet at the Three Broomsticks in spite of the time crunch. Sirius had promised to be there at three o'clock on the dot.

It was now five-thirty.

Remus ran a finger along the rim of the flask. He was really beginning to wonder about Sirius. He had talked to James recently and said that Sirius had been over at his house a lot, constantly playing with Harry. He also said that Sirius seemed to get tense whenever James said the word "Moony." He also got tense when Harry said it, as it had been one of the first words Harry had been able to learn. Right after "mama", "dada", and "Pafu".

He couldn't help but wonder...

Had he done something wrong? Said something wrong? Done something to offend Sirius? He didn't think so... But Remus was beginning to wonder if maybe he wasn't just forgetting about these things... What if he was avoiding Remus?

Remus glanced at his watch. Six o'clock.

Sirius wasn't coming.

**October 31, 1981**

Sirius Black was late. Yet again. And Remus was mad.

After the last failed attempt to meet, Sirius had been the one to contact him. He spoke in clipped tones and didn't talk long, but he had said that something had come up. He had grown irritable when Remus asked him why he kept missing appointments so Remus didn't bring it up again. That was just how these things worked. Either way, Sirius had practically demanded they meet. Neither of them had a free day until Halloween, so that was when they decided to meet at Sirius'  
flat.

And now Remus was sitting outside the door or his best friend's apartment. He had been for the past two hours.

Why was he doing this? If he was angry with Remus, why had he arranged to meet?  
Why was he avoiding him? Why did he seem so angry with him? Why didn't he just say something?

What had Remus done that was so terrible?

And so Remus fell asleep propped up in that terribly uncomfortable doorway. He didn't wake up until he heard the jubilant cries of the witch next door that Sirius had had an on again off again relationship with for the past few months. He got up and asked her what was so great.

Her face fell.

She told him.

His heart sank.

But still he gave a bitter smile.

"So that's why he was late."


End file.
